THE Preserving "THE FEATHER RIVER ROUTE" ""'-"N<; from the Feather River Rail Society --I Vl I m m --I ISSUE 134 - Mar/Apr 2006 The Train Sheet -THE TRAIN SHEET- - BOARD OF DIRECTORS and OFFICERS - News from the Feather River Rail Society and Rod McClure President [email protected] the Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola Dan Brady Treasurer [email protected] Steve Habeck Vp, Director [email protected] Editor - Eugene John Vicknair Kerry Cochran Director operatiol'[email protected] 408.839.5750 or via e-mail at Frank Brehm Director [email protected] [email protected] Norm Holmes Director [email protected] Gail McClure Director [email protected] Contribution Deadlines: Last Day of February, Wayne Monger Director [email protected] April, June, August, October and December Matt Parker Director [email protected] Hank Stiles Director [email protected] Con'tents Copyright C 2005 Eugene Vicknair Secretary, Director [email protected] Feather River Rail ~iety All Rights Reserved Table of Contents - Issue 134 - published June 2006 FEATHER RIVER RAIL SOCIETY WESTERN PACIFIC RAILROAD President's Report 3 MUSEUM at PORTOLA New Members / Recent Donations 4 p. o. Box 608 . Portola, CA. 96122-0608 Carl Allen Walker Collection 4 Museum: 530.832.4131 Fax: 530.832.1854 WPRRHS 2006 Convention 5 The museum grounds are open to the public A Friend in Need - GGRM Move 6 from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM daily from the first Saturday in March through the first Monday in Two New Cabooses 10 November. The Diesel Shop is open from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM daily during these dates. CMO Report 11 WP 701 "Clover Plot" 12 Train operations begin the last Saturday in May and continue each weekend through the first Caboosing Around the Museum 15 Monday in September. Museum Wish List 17 The museum grounds are closed to the public from the firstTuesday in November through the Steam Department Report 19 first Friday in March except for special events in Board Motions and Actions 21 which advance arrangements have been made. If you wish to visit during the closure period, it is advisable to call in advance and find out if the museum will be open. Entrance to the museum is free, although a suggested donation of $5.00 is greatly appreciated. - WEB PAGES of INTEREST - The Feather River Rail Society, a tax-exempt public benefit California corporation, is the FRRS Official Site www.WPLives.org historical society for the Western Pacific Railroad WPRR Historical Society www.wprrhs.org and operator of the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California. CZ Virtual Museum calzephyr.railfan.net Western Pacific Pages www.WPLives.com The FRRS is not associated with the Union WP Virtual Museum wpmuseum.railfan.net Pacific Railroad. Sac Northern On-Line www.people.virginia.edu/-ggg9y - Tidewater Southern Pages www.TidewaterSouthern.com FRRS Tax ID number is 68-0002774 Tidewater Southern wwwS.pair.com/rattenneIWPfTidelndex.htm Member of the Association of Railway Museums Central CalifTraction www.trainweb.org/tractionco/ , and the Tourist Railway Association, Inc page 2 ISSUE 734 - Mar/Apr 2006 The Train Sheet PRESIDENT'S REPORT custom blocking under the WP caboose on our flat car and for supplying a portable welder; new - Rod McClure, FRRS President member Ladie Vitek, who was not afraid to get dirty inspecting all the under carriages of the As many of you know, the -FRRS was contacted heavyweight cars; and new Life Member Don by the Golden Gate Railroad Museum in San Charkarian, who worked locals and yard jobs at Francisco to help them move a majority of their night and spent most of the days we were at SF equipment from their Hunters Point site to doing whatever we needed, and especially for Pacific Locomotive Association's Niles Canyon being my Pilot Engineer from Stockton west to Railway near Sunol, CA. On a cold and rainy SF and return. He did this at no charge to us or February 1st, the WP 707 lead WP 925-C and WP the railroad and we could not have done it 2001 west from Portola with three of our freight without him. I also have to thank GGRM cars and WP 484 caboose bringing up the rear. President Jim Bunger and GGRM Director of We traveled the former WP all the way to Niles Operations Dave Roth, along with all their Jct. where we crossed over to the former SP members, who made us feel at home and Centerville line, taking us to Newark where we helped us with every little thing. Also I must made a quick trip down the Coast line to thank Dexter Day and George Childs for all the Newhall Yard in San Jose. Upon arrival there, we help they and the PLA members supplied to us. ran around our train and headed down the George and his people jumped on each and former SP Peninsula line to San Francisco, where every defect that we found on the equipment we shoved back through about 3 miles of street we were moving to Niles Canyon and repaired it and alley trackage to arrive at Hunters Point right away. Dexter worked hard with us to make Shipyard. We worked every day for three weeks sure we had all the equipment in the proper to prepare and inspect all the equipment that order for delivery and that he and his operations would be moving in our Hospital train. I will people would be ready to make the arrival of all save the details for a future article, but on the equipment go smoothly and with no February 25th we departed San Francisco with a problems, which went off without a hitch expect 3400' train that looked just like it was: rolling it rained the whole time! They also made sure history. After a safe and failure free trip home our new 0-6-0, WP 165, was brought out to us arriving late in the afternoon of March 1st. We and switched into our train in the middle of all brought home to Portola the only remaining WP of this. A huge thanks to all for their help and Heavyweight Sleeper, the "Clover Plot", given to support. We have once again made history for us as part of the transaction with GGRM along the FRRS and help set the standard of with the former SP 4450 SD9 which, cooperation between organizations. unfortunately, had to remain in San Francisco account of last minute wheel problems. Thanks WP 165 is home at last and has been unloaded. to all who helped with this huge undertaking: . She is back on WP rails and has already been Gail McClure, who drove the chase and support receiving TLC from our Steam CMO, Chris Allan. I vehicle (and was Assistant Carmen); Steve will let him tell you what he is up to in his own Habeck, who handled the Conductor and words, but I am proud to be able to say that we switching duties; Doug Morgan, who worked on have our first WP steam locomotive! The the mechanical things; Hank Stiles, who saved immediate plans are to get the asbestos the day a couple of times with on the road removed by a professional contractor, then Chris repairs to the 925-C and doing the inspections will be doing a complete and in detail on the GGRM diesels; John Burbuniak, for all of inspection and cost analysis before we talk his help at Stockton in making sure our about the future. locomotives were road fit; Cliff Cox, for coming down to SF for a week to help with all the While in SF, we received a donation from Mike different things; Edgar Dickens, from the UP Manginni of two WP/SN wood bay window Steam crew, who was invaluable to us working cabooses he had stored at GGRM. One of them, over all the bearings and all the other things he the SN 1642, is in great shape and has fresh did (thanks Boss); Eugene Vicknair and Kerry paint and will be a good partner to our SN GP7 Cochran, who helped when they could get away 712. The other caboose, WP 646, is in rough from their real jobs; Norm Holmes, who was a shape and had to be loaded on our flat car for fantastic help with the those bearings; Andrew McCarron and Larry Brown, who did all the page 3 continued on page 5 ... ISSUE 734 - Mar/Apr 2006 The Train Sheet NEW MEMBERS RECENT DONATIONS The FRRS would like to acknowledge and The FRRS would like to thank the following welcome the following NEW Members: members and supporters: Robert L. Aton John Cassin . Richard Ray Jeff Cunningham Keith Peck. William Schell Richard Dorn Fred Elenbaas . John Bristow Ken Hitch John Brooks . Kent Stephens William & Barbara Holmes Chuck Mitchell Paul Lanyi, Jr.. Jeff Asay Clarence Palm, Jr. Michael Anderson . Brian Scott Ronald C. Payne Frank Villante . Gary Kapic Dan Sekera James Hollett . Pacific Gas & Electric Douglas P. Sibley Andy & Gayle Anderson David Smith in memory of Alan Benefield Erik Frodsham. Tania Cusack CodyWilson David & Linda Dewey. David Rowe William Woodward Thank you for your commitment to the $1000 or more Feather River Rail Society! Don Thompson - forWP 501 CARL ALLEN WALKER PHOTO COLLECTION Thanks to the generosity of Carl Allen Walker and with scanning assistance from Chris Allen, the FRRS is pleased to announce that Volume 1 of the Carl Allen Walker Collection is now available for sale at the museum gift shop. The CD contains many high quality photos of the Western Pacific and WP subsidiaries.